SN has teamed up with Insight Guides to try and give Manchester United fans traveling abroad the best experience possible. We face Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium next Wednesday, so I have put together a list of the top ten things to do in the wonderful city of Madrid.
Plaza Mayor: Take a seat at a terrace café and watch the world go by at the busy centre of local social life.
Centro de Arte Reina Sofía: A popular showcase of art of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Picasso’s Guernica.
Puerta del Sol: Dominated by the iconic Tío Pepe sign, it’s the bustling heart of Madrid, with shoppers, tourists and night owls.
El Escorial: The palace created by Felipe II, where Spain’s Golden Age is writ large.
The Prado: Spain’s rich artistic heritage is conserved in one of the world’s most prestigious museums.
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza: One of the largest private art collections in the world.
Plaza Santa Ana: A great place to start el tapeo, the ‘tapas crawl’.
Palacio Real: Elegant centre of royal Madrid.
San Antonio de la Florida: Goya’s frescoes adorn the cupola if a chapel.
Parque del Retiro: Its trees, lawns and lake make this Madrid’s most child-friendly green space.
Taken from the Berlitz Pocket Guild to Madrid – (c) APA Publications 2013
El Mercado de San Miguel, at the side of La Plaza Mayor,, is fantastic. An old market that is now multiple tapas bars with a great atmosphere. A bit pricey, but well worth it.